Molly Munger, a wealthy civil rights attorney, talks with reporters in Sacramento about the tax measure she’s backing.(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
Wyatt Buchanan
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sacramento –Supporters of two ballot initiatives that would raise taxes to fund public education and other services said on Monday they will not back down from those efforts, upending Gov. Jerry Brown’s crusade to clear the November ballot of any competing tax measures.
Backers of the so-called “Millionaires Tax” officially began a signature-gathering effort Monday, while the wealthy proponent of another measure, speaking to the California State PTA in Sacramento, pledged that she would spend millions to get her initiative on the ballot.
Those actions could significantly undermine Brown’s efforts, as voters are known to reject all tax measures when faced with multiple initiatives. Molly Munger, a wealthy civil rights attorney from Southern California whose family is worth billions, rejected the notion that she or others should show deference to Brown by letting his tax measure be the only one on November’s ballot.
“I don’t think we’d have a very good functioning democracy if we always just did what one person at the top wanted,” Munger told reporters after presenting her plan to members of the state PTA, which has endorsed the measure. She received an extended standing ovation after her remarks.
She added that, “In fact, one of the reasons we have democracy is because that old method, which is to just do what the king says, led to some very bad decisions over time.”
Under Munger’s plan, called “Our Children, Our Future,” the income tax for everyone in California would increase, though with the largest increases on the highest wage earners. She estimates the proposal would generate $10 billion a year that would be dedicated solely to education, with criminal penalties if lawmakers try to adjust that. It would expire after 12 years.
Another version would dedicate some of the money to pay back the state’s debt for the first few years, and Munger said backers have yet to decide which to pursue. Munger has been the sole large contributor to the effort so far, giving $800,000, according to the secretary of state.
‘Millionaires tax’
The other measure, for which proponents started a signature-gathering effort Monday, would increase income taxes on people who earn more than $1 million a year in California. Backers estimate that would generate about $9.5 billion annually, with the bulk dedicated to education. Health services and public safety would get some of the new revenue as well. It has no expiration date.
That measure, “The Millionaires Tax of 2012,” is supported by the California Federation of Teachers, the Courage Campaign, the California Nurses Association and others. Leaders of the effort, along with Munger on her initiative, said they had not personally heard from the governor with a pitch to end their efforts.
Both also expressed confidence that conventional wisdom is wrong and that one or more tax measures could pass even with multiple initiatives on the ballot.
“We’re not concerned that there will be multiple measures on the ballot,” said Joshua Pechthalt, president of the California Federation of Teachers, adding that he had confidence voters would “be able to decide which makes sense for them.”
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The more the merrier. Make sure to confuse the heck out of voters just enough that they vote no on every single one of these tax increases.
Munger is an idiot! We need to raise taxes to pay for public education because what has changes? Not the amount going to schools, but the amount going to entitlement programs at the schools. Why can we no longer pay for extra-curricular activities or school buses? Because we have ESL programs, free meals, free busing for non-taxpayers, free tutors, all to be paid for out of an ever decreasing kitty! What a mess when we value indigent services over adequate educational services. God help us.
“Under Munger’s plan, called “Our Children, Our Future,” the income tax for everyone in California would increase, though with the largest increases on the highest wage earners. She estimates the proposal would generate $10 billion a year that would be dedicated solely to education, with criminal penalties if lawmakers try to adjust that. It would expire after 12 years.”
Don’t we already pour a huge percentage of the budget into “education” and that figure gets larger each year? And what do we have to show for it? Isn’t California at or near the bottom in education despite the money we pour down that black hole? Clearly money is not the issue.
And now some wealthy civil rights attorney wants to force us to pay MORE taxes when California is already one of the most heavily taxed in the nation?
What the hell is wrong with people. Raising taxes is not the answer to all problems.
California does have one of the costliest public education systems in the country but apparently ranks 46th in the amount spent per pupil. Where does the money go? Salaries and pensions for teachers and administrators?
per pupil spending is a misleading statistic. Many foreign countries spend far less that we do per pupil and produce far better results. More money means more salaries and benefits for those “over worked” teachers. I guess the difficulty of doing the job has not yet been outweighed by the remuneration given.